ReWild Your Business

This week I'm calling out something I'm seeing everywhere right now in the online business world, and honestly, it's feeling like an epidemic. Coaches are hearing they should differentiate themselves by being vulnerable, so they're sharing their struggles, their breakdowns, their trauma in real time. And look, it works at first - engagement goes through the roof, people respond, you feel seen. But here's the problem: they end up building their entire brand around their worst moments.

Every post becomes a wound on display. And then they can't figure out why they're attracting clients who are drowning, not clients who are ready to actually do the work and move forward.

When your brand is built on unprocessed trauma, you're positioning yourself as a peer in struggle rather than a guide through it, and that fundamentally undermines your authority.
There's a massive difference between real vulnerability and performance vulnerability. Real vulnerability is when you're sharing something you've processed and metabolised. You're offering wisdom, not an open wound. It feels clean because you're not searching for validation, you're genuinely serving your audience's transformation.

Performance vulnerability? That's when you're sharing trauma because it gets clicks and comments, when you're still in it and you need people to tell you you're brave. It's extractive, not generous.

So here's my invitation: stop sharing trauma in real time, audit your content to see how much centres on pain rather than insight, and reposition your brand around transformation instead of empathy. The people who truly value you don't need you to perform your pain, they value your wisdom, your authority, your frameworks because you're on the other side and can show them the way.

Mentioned in this episode:

This is the LinkedIn post I mention about my late husband: 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gillmoakes_its-7-years-ago-today-that-my-husband-phill-activity-7143208724856270849-BFL-?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAACuEtlUBCBw8uMiKIFcrgf3Kt-Gpw6nq80o

If you'd like to explore working together, book a call with me here: https://go.oncehub.com/alignment-call

Your modesty isn't making you more likeable - it's making you invisible to the people who desperately need what you offer...

While you're busy staying humble and worrying about looking like a dick, someone out there who needs you, can't find you. Or they find you but don't believe you can help them because you're playing small.

What This Episode Covers
We're tackling imposter syndrome, the resistance to "bragging," tall poppy syndrome, and all the cultural conditioning that keeps you making yourself smaller.

The Big Ideas
Confidence vs Arrogance:
A. Owning your expertise: "I've spent 10 years learning how to solve this exact problem. I've worked with dozens of clients who've got results. I know what I'm doing and I can help you."
B. Being a dick: "I'm the only person that can solve your problem. Everyone else is s**t."

One invites people in. The other pushes them away.

Imposter Syndrome Reframed
Imposter syndrome is a refusal to integrate your experience into who you are. Your clients didn't pay you for luck - they paid you for your expertise. When you refuse to own that, you could say you're not being humble, you're being slightly dishonest.

What Your Future Clients Need
They're scared, uncertain, investing money that feels like a stretch. They need confidence in you. Your confidence gives them permission to trust you. Your belief that you can help them creates space for them to believe in their own transformation.

Four Ways to Own Your Expertise

1. Talk About Results - Show what happens because of what you do


2. Be Confident in Your Messaging - Stop using "I think" or "maybe" or "it's just my opinion"


3. Be Specific - Specific truths sound like expertise; vague claims sound like b******t


4. Own Your Perspective - Say "Here's what I've learned" not "I think this might work"

Key Takeaways

• Your modesty is not a virtue if it's keeping people from finding you


• Your imposter syndrome is a refusal to integrate your experience


• Your fear of being "too much" robs your future clients of the confidence they need


• The people who need you are looking for someone confident and certain

Ready to Do This Work?
If you're ready to do the identity work around becoming the woman who has the business you want, let's explore working together. I've been doing this for a long time. I'm good at it.
Book a call: https://go.oncehub.com/gillmoakeschat

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:37 This Week's Topic: Owning Your Expertise
04:39 Understanding Imposter Syndrome
08:41 Overcoming Tall Poppy Syndrome
10:47 Steps to Own Your Expertise
15:06 The Identity Shift: Becoming Your True Self
18:16 Conclusion and Call to Action

For most of my life, I genuinely believed I wasn't creative. Like, hand on heart, I would tell anyone willing to listen that I didn't have a creative bone in my body. And I really believed it.

Why? Because to me, creativity meant one thing: being able to draw or paint. And since I can't do that (trust me, this isn't false modesty – I literally cannot draw to save my life), I wrote myself off completely.
But here's what I've finally realised: I've been using the wrong definition of creativity my entire life. And in doing so, I've been denying a fundamental part of who I am.

So, here's what I'm sharing with you in this episode:

• The narrow definition of creativity I carried from childhood into my business


• How I finally recognised that the way I think, write, and solve problems IS creative


• Why this isn't just about creativity – it's about the identity stories we tell ourselves. The stories you might be telling yourself that are keeping you stuck ('I'm not strategic', 'I'm not good with money', 'I'm not a natural salesperson'...)


• How your business will only ever be as big as the identity you're willing to claim


• The loop that's running your life: identity determines actions, actions determine results, results reinforce identity

Here's the truth: Your business will never outperform who you are. If you're keeping yourself inside a restricted identity – some clinical, small version of you – your business will never outgrow that.

This week's journal prompt:
What story are you telling yourself about who you are or who you're not? And where did that story come from?

I bet it came from somewhere outside you. Someone else's definition. Someone else's standards. Something you decided once, years ago, based on limited information or one bad experience or comparison to someone who does it differently.

Pay attention to who you actually are when you're not trying to be who you think you should be.

Let's connect:
Drop me an email at [email protected] and let me know what came up for you when you listened to this episode. I absolutely love getting those messages – they honestly make my day!

And if you're enjoying the podcast, I'd be so grateful if you'd hop onto Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen) and leave a five-star rating and review. You wouldn't believe the difference it makes to the reach of the show.

Mentioned in this episode:

Unapologetic Retreats - we gift women the time and space to explore what’s possible for them, and be inspired to take action, unapologetically. (https://www.unapologeticretreats.com/)

Girls That Get S**t Done - a roaring, global network of seriously creative female bad asses that are shaping the world of design, marketing, business and brand.  (https://www.girlsthatgetshitdone.com/)

Listen now and subscribe on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your favourite podcast platform

00:00 Introduction and Happy New Year!
00:27 Embracing Creativity: My Personal Journey
02:17 Redefining Creativity and Identity
04:13 Challenging Limiting Beliefs
05:45 Recognising and Owning Your Creativity
09:25 The Power of Identity in Business
16:16 Breaking the Loop: Identity and Actions
17:08 Reflection and Journaling Prompts
19:01 Final Thoughts

In the first episode of 2026, I'm sharing five deliberate choices I refuse to apologise for in my business. These include not being present on all social media platforms, my pricing, saying no to unaligned opportunities, not always being relatable, and working long hours.

Yep an eclectic little bunch of insights this week - let's start this year as we mean to go on and get clear on what we're not going to apologise for!

Tell me what that means for you: [email protected]

Want to explore working with me this year? Schedule a call: https://go.oncehub.com/alignment-call

00:00 Welcome to Rewild Your Business 2026!
01:09 Unapologetically Authentic: Embracing Your Business Choices
03:01 Social Media: Quality Over Quantity
05:08 Valuing Your Worth: No Apologies for Pricing
07:11 The Power of Saying No
10:11 Relatability vs. Transformation
14:28 Passion Over Balance: Embracing Long Hours
16:51 Final Thoughts and Reflection

As we close out 2025, this episode is about the three critical decisions that will position you to make next year truly extraordinary. Whether you're listening in those strange days between Christmas and New Year, or you're one of those brilliant people who switches off completely until January 5th, these decisions are for you to make...

If you have a vision for your life and business that's bigger than feels comfortable to admit out loud, this episode is going to challenge you in allllll the right ways.

The Three Decisions:

Decision 1: To Uplevel Your Identity
This isn't about affirmations or visualisation... it's about who you're actually being, not just what you're thinking. Your current business - everything it is and isn't - is an exact match for who you've been being up until now.

If you're not getting the clients you want, it's because the woman you've been being isn't the woman who works with those clients. If you're not charging what you're worth, it's because the woman you've been being doesn't believe she's worth it.

The uncomfortable truth? You can't grow your business beyond who you are being. So who do you need to become to hold the vision you have for 2026?

Decision 2: Say No to Misalignment
Every yes to something that doesn't align with your values or vision is a no to something that does. You can't make space for what's next if you're holding on to what no longer serves you.

This isn't about being ruthless, it's about being intentional. It's about honouring yourself enough to protect your energy, your time, and your focus for what actually matters. What are you tolerating that's keeping you small?

Decision 3: Invest in Yourself
Growth requires investment. You know the difference between genuinely not being able to invest responsibly and using money as a comfortable excuse to avoid growth.

What investment do you need to make in 2026? A mentor? A mastermind? Training that would give you the skills to deliver at the level you want? Someone to help you do the deep identity work?

Write down what you need. Then write down all your reasons for not doing it yet. Read them back and ask yourself: are these the thoughts of the woman I decided to become?

Your Action Steps:
For each decision, make one concrete move:

Identity: Write a detailed description of the woman you're becoming. Choose one action that woman would take that terrifies the woman you've been being. Then take it.

Saying No: Identify one thing you're currently doing that's misaligned and start thinking about your exit strategy.

Investment: Research the investment you know you need to make. Book the discovery call. Request the proposal. Look at your finances and figure out how you'll invest in yourself in 2026.

Don't wait for perfect clarity. Don't wait to feel ready. Just make the decision.

Want to Work With Me in 2026?
If you need someone to help you become the woman who can build the legacy business you're dreaming of, let's talk. Book a call here https://go.oncehub.com/alignment-call or DM me on LinkedIn.

Thank you
Thank you for making this podcast part of your 2025. This is the end of the third year of ReWild Your Business, and recording these episodes is still such a pleasure. I feel really lucky to have this as my platform... well, it's not luck, it's bloody hard work, but I love it!

Have an amazing New Year, however you're celebrating, and I'll speak to you next time in 2026.

Connect with Gill:

Website: https://gillmoakes.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillmoakes/
BOOK A CALL NOW: https://go.oncehub.com/alignment-call

00:00 Gratitude and Reflections on the Past Year
00:51 Making the Most of the Year-End
02:51 Understanding Ambition and Vision
06:48 Decision 1: Uplevel Your Identity
15:16 Decision 2: Say No to Misalignment
22:17 Decision 3: Invest in Yourself
29:54 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

In this episode of Rewild Your Business, I'm talking about the importance of mindset as we hurtle towards 2026. While it's the external factors often seem like barriers to our success, it's actually the internal mindset that plays the biggest role. With a focus on choosing courage over comfort, we're looking at the common negative thoughts that hold us back, the importance of acting despite fear, and how to build the courage muscle to achieve your business goals. 

Also, enrolment to my 18 week business accelerator, MASTERY, is now open: check out what's possible for you in 2026: https://gillmoakes.com/mastery

00:00 Welcome to Rewild Your Business
00:19 Mindset Matters: Starting 2026 Right
03:31 The Power of Belief and Courage
04:38 Confronting Negative Thoughts
10:06 Building Your Courage Muscle
17:51 Commitment Over Comfort
26:30 Mastery Program: Take the Next Step
28:38 Final Thoughts and Next Steps

What I'd do if I were starting my coaching business from scratch today...

In this episode, I'm breaking down the three priorities when you're building a coaching business - no fluff, no filler, just the strategic foundations that create sustainable growth. If you're an early-stage coach or you've been spinning your wheels trying to figure out what to focus on, this episode will save you months of second-guessing.

In This Episode:

- The one thing that changes everything about how you show up in your business
- How to develop your signature framework instead of being a set of hands for hire
- Why you don't need a thousand followers to build a thriving coaching practice
- What to prioritise right now if you want to build something real

Resources Mentioned:

MASTERY:  Enrolment is now OPEN for my MASTERY, my 18-week programme for early-stage coaches who are committed to growing their coaching businesses in 2026.

https://gillmoakes.com/mastery

We're revisiting an episode that was first published in February this year - Why? Because I've been soooo sick and didn't record this week, but also because this is a really important episode when it comes to your money mindset.

If you’ve ever found yourself obsessing over where the next client is coming from or feeling that gut-wrenching panic when someone says no, this episode is for you. I am talking about the biggest mindset shift that makes signing clients easier: stop chasing money and start focusing on connection, trust, and service. When you do, the money becomes a natural side effect.

This isn’t about sitting back and hoping for the best. It’s about showing up, doing the work, and playing the long game. When you stop leading with desperation and start building real relationships, everything, clients, sales, opportunities, flows so much more naturally. And let’s be honest, growing your business feels a lot better when you’re not constantly stress chasing.

FREE MASTERCLASS

Today we kick off Unearth Your Edge - my free 3-day masterclass series for coaches, where we’ll refine your niche and messaging so start attracting and enrolling the right people.

For more info and to register, click here: https://gillmoakes.com/unearth

(This throwback episode mentions the March dates of our last event - this round is actually 8th / 9th / 10th December - 5pm UK / 12pm EST)

If you're a coach who's ready to change lives but you're struggling to stand out from all the other coaches saying the exact same things... this episode is for you.

It's completely natural when you're starting out to look at what other coaches are doing. But here's what happens: you end up reading other coaches' Instagram bios, checking out their websites, and without even realising it, you start mimicking the language you're seeing everywhere. The result? Your messaging becomes beige. Safe. Generic.

And when potential clients are scrolling through Instagram or reading emails, they can't tell the difference between you and any other coach out there.

What Is Your Edge?
Your edge is the combination of everything that makes you unmistakably you:

- Your values - the hills you're willing to die on
- Your lived and learned experience - all the lessons you learned the hard way
- The things you believe that not everyone agrees with
- The perspectives that make some people nod furiously and others hit unfollow (brilliant!)
- Your authentic personality - not the professional coach version you think you should be
- Your messaging - the things you can't stop talking about

This Can't Be Outsourced
You can't shortcut this work. You can't copy someone else's positioning. This isn't the glamorous bit of building a business - but it's the difference between a coaching business that actually grows and makes you money versus one that constantly struggles to attract the right people.

It's the difference between feeling confident in who you are and what you offer versus feeling like an imposter every time you post on social media.

I'm hosting a FREE three-day masterclass starting December 8th (8th, 9th, and 10th at 5pm UK time). This is the foundational work I do with clients in my MASTERY accelerator - and people have told me this masterclass alone has changed the trajectory of their business.

Here's what we'll cover:
Day 1: Who You Are - Getting crystal clear on your values, your story, and what you bring to the table that no one else does
Day 2: Who You Serve - Refining your niche based on genuine alignment between who you are and who you're meant to serve
Day 3: How You Communicate - Creating messaging that actually converts by articulating what you believe in a way that resonates with the right people

90 minutes on Zoom each day. Time for questions. Workbooks for each day. And I promise you: this is going to move you forward in your business.

Numbers are capped so everyone gets space to ask questions - so grab your spot now at gillmoakes.com/unearth

This week, it's part 2 of our mini-series on Planning On Purpose - all about stepping confidently into next year. I'm talking about the critical identity shifts you need to make to bring your 2026 vision to life.

Building on last week's foundational planning episode, I explore the importance of aligning your daily actions with the person you need to become to realise your goals. 

I outline five key identity shifts:

• moving from reactive to intentional


• perfectionist to practitioner


• people-pleaser to values-led leader


• scarcity to abundance


• isolation to connection

It's all about adopting a daily practice of making small, consistent decisions that align with your future self.

AND, if 2026 is the year you're committing to seriously growing your coaching business, then you don't want to miss my FREE 3 day masterclass Unearth Your Edge, starting on 8th December 2025.

Over 3 days, live on Zoom together, you'll learn:

1. How to embrace and leverage your uniqueness

2. How to refine your niche

3. How to nail your messaging to consistently attract & enrol your ideal clients.

Places are limited, so secure your spot here now: https://gillmoakes.com/unearth

ALSO MENTIONED

Check out my 18 week business accelerator for coaches: https://gillmoakes.com/mastery